No Bruises, No Story
by rhireadsbooks
Summary: Alexandra, a girl with a troubled past and a fighting spirit, must overcome an obstacle to save herself, and hopefully her friends with the eventual help of a pediatric surgeon and his friends.
1. Chapter 1

I had no choice. It seemed as though there was nothing I could do to stop what was happening to me. Although I held my tongue to avoid worse punishment, I felt like I was screaming in a crowded room and nobody could hear me.

The judge glowered down at me, like I was the most disgusting thing he had ever seen in his entire life. "So," He asked, clasping and unclasping his fingers together. "The girl has no other family? Even extended?"

"N-n-no, sir." The social worker stuttered nervously, as she rummaged through her folder filled with important papers. It was like she didn't even know who she was advocating for, which was me. "The police found her on the corner of a hundreth and forth, by herself, with all of the stolen goods, and all she gave them was a first name and an age. Nothing else. We put it in the system, along with her DNA, but there were no matches."

The judge looked at her somberly, his face softening. "Well, then. I guess we have limited options. We can send her to ju-" He paused for a second, squinting at a piece of paper he was holding up to the light. "How old is she?" He asked.

"She claimed she was 18, Your Honor." She didn't know that I was only fifteen. I lied, hoping it would have helped me get out of trouble, but I was wrong.

"Well, I guess she's old enough to be on her own. But, it seems as though she has no home, or anyone that's going to miss her, so I guess there's a very good option for her."

I grimaced. The smile that was creeping on his face gave me a bad feeling.

"Alexandra Doe, age 18, I hereby recommend you to Eagle Nest Youth Homeless Center." The judge slammed his gavel down on the block, smiling tremendously. It was like he was in on some big secret. "Bailiff, will you please transport her to the Center." He declared, motioning for me to be dismissed.

Throughout the entire ride to the Homeless Center, I began to think about what the Center would be like. Every other place that I had heard about sounded like a prison. Barbed wire, security guards in every corner, security cameras in every room. At least, that was what it said on the computer at the public library.

The huge yellow bus that was taking me to the Homeless Center was unclean, as well as huge. I had only dreamed of being able to go on a real school bus, but this was not what I had imagined it being like. There was an overweight security guard sitting at the front of the bus, chowing down on a donut as he chatted with the bus driver. Every once in awhile, he would give me a dirty glance and sneer while he shoved another bite of the donut in his mouth.

I stared out the grimy, dirty window of the bus. We were on a highway, yet I didn't know which one we were driving on.

Pretty soon, we began to turn into a secluded driveway that was hidden by a grove of oak trees. I started to stand up from my seat, trying to get a better view of where I was going, but as soon as I could see over the navy blue leather seat, the pudgy guard began to yell at me.

"Hey, you!" He yelled, almost choking on his donut. "Sit the hell down! I don't want to have to go over there."

I started to sit back down, angry that I was being sent to this place in the first place. I doubted it would be different than any other foster home or orphanage I've been sent to. Instead of making myself known, liking introducing myself, I just hang low and then escape in the middle of the night. It's worked on seven different occasions, mostly with the crowded foster homes. I doubt any of them knew I was missing until I'd landed in another one.

Eagle Nest had sounded like a strange name for a Homeless Center, but I guess it fit the place. As the bus pulled closer, I saw that it was an old school with a two foot cement border around the perimeter. The actual building was made with old, mossy bricks, while the doors seemed like they were made off really thick, bulletproof metal.

"We're here, kid. Get your lazy ass up and get out of the bus." The bus driver yelled over the loudspeaker. His voice was throaty and deep, suprisingly. He had a thin frame and was very short. "I said, 'Move, your, ass." He growled again, rolling his eyes at the guard.

I stood up and began to slowly walk toward the exit, hoping that this place was as negligent as the other places the government had sent me.

When I finally walked down the three steps, after taking my sweet time, I saw a man in a sweatshirt that seemed three sizes too small for his pot bellied stomach. The guard waved me over to talk to the man.

"Sir, this is the delinquent I talked to you about." The guard talked about me as I if I was a wanted criminal. "So, don't let her looks fool you."

The man chuckled, as though the guard had just insulted him jokingly. "Don't worry, Derek. We'll take great care of her." He smiled menacingly before grabbing my left upper arm forcefully. His hands were callused and stiff, as if he did a lot of physical work. Judging by the size of his stomach, I highly doubted that was the reason his hands were so rough.

I squinted up at him, as he was about a head taller than me. "Let's go, sweetheart." He said in his deep, gruff voice. He had an ugly, orange-red receding hairline, and gray stubble on his upper lip. The wrinkles under his eyes indicated that he was in his late thirties, early forties, and his eyes were wild, with something I couldn't place. .

 _Great,_ I thought. _I'm gonna get bossed around by a middle aged man._ Nothing I haven't done before.

He dragged me towards a metal detector manned by another overweight guard. This place was going to be easy as pie to break out of, no matter how many guards they had. I just had to remember to lay low and try to stay out of the spotlight.

"Empty your pockets," The man instructed me, letting go of my arm.

I grudgingly shoved my hands in my sweatshirt pocket, pulling out a wallet, pair of car keys, and a flashlight, none of which were mine. While I was getting onto the bus, I "accidentally" bumped into the guard, shoving my hands in his pockets. There were only about fifteen dollars in cash in his wallet, but it was better than nothing.

I didn't have any pockets in my gray sweatpants, so I guess there was nothing I could hide there.

The man picked up the wallet, and began searching through the plastic cards. I had already taken all the cash and hidden it in the hood of my sweatshirt. Nobody ever checked there.

After a few seconds, I finally heard the gasp I was waiting for as the man realized whose wallet I had pocketed.

"You little thief," He muttered, turning around to go chase after the guard, whose name I guess was Derek. "Derek!" He called, sprinting after the bus, waving the wallet in his hands.

I guess he forgot about the car keys, because he didn't bother to bring them to the guard with the wallet. So, while the guard handling the metal detector and the man running towards the bus were distracted, I kicked the keys around the metal detector, making sure that I would be able to pick them up after I went through. They had a couple of useful things attached to the key ring, like nail clippers, two house keys, and a pen flashlight. I would need those for my escape later.

While I was kicking the keys around the metal detector, the man must have given Derek's wallet back, because when I turned back around, he was walking back. I prayed that he didn't see what I had done.

"Alright, thief. Walk through." He shoved me forward, almost making me trip. Reluctantly, I shuffled forward, turning my head around so I could see him. Secretly, I was just trying to hide the money in my hood.

As soon as I was through, and the alarm didn't go off, I bent down to "tie my shoe". I grabbed the keys and stuffed them in the side of my sneaker, tying my shoe messily, so it didn't seem too suspicious.

When I was done, the man walked up behind me and grabbed a fistful of my hair, pulling me back towards him. "Ow!" I shouted, trying to grab his hand. "What the hell, man!"

He pulled me closer and whispered in my ear, "Don't try anything funny, girl. I know you're record, and you're not gonna get away with anything here. Do you understand, you little pig shit?"

I didn't answer right away, as I was trying not to laugh. He didn't know me. He had no idea what I'd done in the past, or what I was capable of. Adults were always threatening me with stupid things I had done before I met them, but I doubt they knew half of what I've done. I haven't done anything illegal, besides stealing. But, that was always for my own survival.

"I said, 'Do you understand me?'" He swung me around with his other hand so I was facing him. Before I could answer him, he smacked me, hard, across my left cheek.

I leapt towards him, a raging ball of fury, grabbing him by the collar of his sweatshirt. No one hit me and got away with it. "You will never touch me, let alone smack me, again. Do ya understand, you piece of pig shit?" I growled, pulling him closer. Although his outer face was smiling, I could see the true fear in his eyes, and it gave me a little taste of satisfaction.

Something grabbed both of my arms, forcing me to let go of him. I looked behind me and scowled when I saw that it was the overweight guard holding my arms behind me. I pulled against him, trying to reach the man who smacked. He was smiling the same smile he gave me when I first came.

The burning sensation from his open palm slap began to settle in my cheek, reaching all the way to my eye. But, I pulled through the pain. I tried with all my might to make the guard let go, but I didn't need to. I had already made my point to the man, and he would hopefully remember that.

As I was struggling, another man came over to the security checkpoint. He was shorter than the other man, but more muscular. He had broad shoulders that made his shirt hand over the rest of his abdomen. He had no hair on his head, but light grey colored stubble on his chin and the sides of his face. He had chestnut eyes that gave me the feeling he wasn't there to help me.

"What's going on, Devlin?" He asked the man calmly. His voice was throaty and very irritated, the same as the bus driver.

"I was telling her what I told all new recruits, and she attacked me, sir." He babbled, trying to seem tough, even though he was visibly shaken.

I stopped struggling, wanting to hear what this new man had to say about me. He seemed annoyed with the man he called Devlin.

"Well, we can't have that kind of behavior, can we?" The new man said, signalling for the guard to let me go.

After making sure that I was free from the guard, I looked over the man. He was very suspicious of me, yet he was still placid compared to Devlin. "Who're you" I asked, shoving my hands in my sweatshirt pocket.

He chuckled softly, before placing his hand on my shoulder. I flinched away, obviously still trying to decided if he was to avoid, or to annoy. It was always one of those two.

"Welcome to Eagle Nest Youth Homeless Shelter, Alexandra. We've been expecting you. My name is Robert Scovel , and I'm the owner and founder of Eagle Nest. This is my cousin, Kearsten Devlin. Now, as much as we love new people, we need you to understand that we have rules."

His face twisted into a contorted smile, allowing me to make the decision to annoy him. He seemed to like the fact that he was in charge and everything was going good. I was going to change that.

Scovel continued before I could say anything else. "You have no power here. You will accept what happens to you with grace, or you will be punished furthermore. " He paused thoughtfully. "Here, I have an idea." He looked at the guard. "Keep an eye on her for twenty-four hours, and place her in the same cabin as Marley Dreyer. She's a good influence."

"You callin' me a troublemaker, mister?" I snarled.

Snickering, he replied sarcastically, "You aren't the worst troublemaker I've had here. You'll be fine once you get used to life here." With one swift move, he slapped me in the same place that Devlin slapped me, but not as hard. It was more like a warning slap, instead of a disciplinary.

A growl came from deep in my chest, as my hands moved out of my pocket, ready to defend myself. But, I surprisingly didn't feel such an urge to protect myself.

"Call Buka, and tell him I have a female in need of a guard for the night." Scovel began to walk away, along with Devlin. I let my hands rest down at my side, and watched in disappointment as they both walked into the large building through an entrance to my right.


	2. Chapter 2

Someone seized my right arm, pulling me in the other direction. I whipped my head around, ready to hit someone, but it was just a guard. A little embarrassed, I hung my head and let him lead me towards a wrought iron fence.

As he punched in a code to open the gate, about a dozen voices filled my ears, all buzzing with excitement.

"I heard she attacked Devlin!"

"The guard had to pull her off of him. She might be trouble."

"Or, she might be our ticket out of here. Have some hope, Nick."

A few of the comments I heard made me lift my head. So much for laying low. I had just threatened one of the men who was in charge.

While I was thinking, the guard led me through the gate to be greeted by a dozen other teens that were all older than me.

"There she is. She's prettier than Devlin said." A girl with bouncy, cocoa-brown hair exclaimed.

"Think she'll be able to bust us out?" A boy with raven hair and warm brown skin asked nobody in particular.

"I doubt it. Nobody's ever gotten outta here." A masculine voice answered, obviously annoyed.

The guard continued to bring me over to the middle of what looked like a courtyard, and a putrid smell hit me like a ton of bricks, making me cringe. It was like a mix of rotten vegetables and sweat. I held my breath, hoping that the smell would leave.

As I looked around, I realized that the sight matched the smell as it was a pathetic sight. The ground was only dirt and there were redwood picnic tables everywhere, several teenagers milling around. I saw that there was another entrance on the other end of the yard, and it seemed like it led to a bunch of cabins. Wait, strike that. The other entrance led to a bunch of sheds that were termite eaten and rotting.

"Take a seat, delinquent." The guard grumbled, shoving me towards an empty picnic table. "I need to figure out what cabin you're going to stay in." It was like I was an unwanted pest he didn't want to deal with. Fine with me.

The moment he walked away, everyone that had been at the gates came rushing over to the table I was sitting at. I reeled back, both delighted and annoyed with the newfound attention. On one hand, if I wanted to get out of here, I should try to stay out of trouble. On the other hand, it made me feel good that people wanted to hear what I had to say. It was a pleasant change than the usual, _Don't bother us, and we won't bother you_ kind of attitude I normally got.

The black haired boy and the girl with cocoa colored hair, sat directly next to me, introducing themselves as Jake, the boy, and Marley, the girl. There was a blond boy standing right in front of me, his jaw slacked.

"You-you are-" The blond boy stuttered, clearly in awe.

"Beautiful, a genius, immensely talented-" I replied, sarcastically, wishing all the attention away.

He cut me off, adding, "And dangerous."

That surprised me. I had never been called dangerous before. I've been called mousy, stupid, idiot, and a bunch of other words I would rather not repeat. But, dangerous? I would never have imagined as being described with that word.

"What makes ya say that?" I asked, suddenly aware that my slight city accent was out of place.

The boy, Jake, answered for the blond boy. "Well, we heard about what you did, and you're the only one brave enough to stand up to Devlin. We're all hoping you can help us get out of here."

He made it sound like they were all being held hostage in a prison or something. Getting out of this stink bomb would be easy once I was free from the guards. But, it was like they were crawling around the area. I could point out at least half a dozen in one quarter of the courtyard like area.

I put my head down somberly, ashamed of stepping down from someone who had just hit me. It was something I shouldn't have done, and it made me feel like they were taking advantage of me. I didn't like that feeling.

"So, are you gonna help us or not?" A voice snapped at me impatiently. I lifted my head to see the boy with blonde hair leaning in closer to me. "We all need to get outta here, and we hope that you're our ticket out. So, are you gonna help us?"

Despite my feelings of defeat, I decided that they deserved to get out of this place as much as I did. I mean, they had probably gotten abused at this place, with those men acting like they were at the top of the food chain. Once I had gotten rid of the guard, they would see that there are others more superior to them.

"Fine," I sighed, pretending to be reluctant. "But, ya needs to listen to what I says, got it?" All of the eager teens nodded, anticipation washing over the crowd. "Great," I continued, still acting as though I was bored. "We start as soon as I lose that shithead over theres." I motioned towards the guard, who was continuing to talk to the others. To be honest, I was surprised he didn't hear me, considering I wasn't talking at a normal volume.

The people began to disperse, whispering excitedly with each other. But, the girl and the two boys stayed, the blonde one displaying a sour scowl across his face.

"Thank you so much!" Marley exclaimed, her voice bursting with eagerness. I guess things really were bad here. All of these kids were begging to be broken out, no matter their age.

I nodded, my eyes narrowing as the guard waltzed back to where we were sitting. He had three yellow papers in his hand, bold black writing on the front and back of each page. I tilted my head slightly so I could see what they read, but the guard had other ideas.

He whipped the papers behind his back. "What the hell you think you doing, girl?!" He yelled, absolutely hysteric.

I sat up straight, trying to keep a poker face, but I couldn't hold back my laughter. I chuckled softly as my face blushed bright red, which I guess was the wrong thing to do.

"What're you laughing at, girl?" He angrily asked, his face changing from puzzlement to a scowl. "You're not gonna question what I'm doing, or may I lose my charm." At that last part, he smiled like he was some kind of bigshot around the place. Stupid egomaniac.

This time, I couldn't contain my laughter anymore. A huge, gut busting laugh erupted from me as I stood up, turning a look of shock onto the guards face.

"You gots about as much charm as a dead slug," I laughed loudly, making every head in the courtyard turn around in surprise.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jake and Marley giving me the "cut it out" sign, a finger running across their neck, while Nick looked as pale as a ghost, an expression of fear and shock frozen on his face.

The guard's face turned so red it was almost purple as he grabbed my sweatshirt collar, bringing me to the tips of my toes. "You insulting me?" He snarled in my face, making me cringe at his breath. It smelled like a combination between onions and fish.

When I got over the smell, I looked at him, smiling. "I'd love to insult you, but I'm afraid I can't do as well as nature did."

Before I could say anything else, the guard shoved me to the ground, my head knocking against the table behind me. I winced, a sharp white pain beginning to throb in my head. I groaned, closing my eyes in pain. I felt as though there was something inside of my head and it was kicking me in the brain. _You have to do something,_ I thought. _You have to keep fighting for yourself. He can't treat you this way._

The guard gave me a swift kick in the stomach, adding onto the pain. I curled up on the ground, clutching my stomach. A groan of pain escaped me, sounding weak and helpless. But, I knew that I couldn't let myself give in to this piece of shit that was challenging me.

I used all my strength to lift myself up, a collective gasp coming from the courtyard. I pulled myself into a standing position, closing my eyes as everything around me spun. I felt a trickle of liquid slide down my neck. I lifted my hand to the back of my head, feeling something wet and thick. I looked back at my hand and realized that it was blood.

Turning my attention away from my hand and my head, I turned back to the guard. I felt a little ray of warmth as I watched as his smug smile transformed into a look of shock, slack jawed and his eyes wide in surprise.

I narrowed my eyes and clenched my fists. "Do not challenge me." I growled, making him realize that there was no way I was going to let him beat me like the others.

The guard closed his jaw, frustration coating his voice. "You don't talk to me like that, girl," It was like no one had ever stood up to him before, and with this crowd, I doubted anyone had. "Or else I'll get Scovel, and he'll whoop your ass."

I smiled at his threat, the muscles in my head tightening with each throb of pain. It hurt to smile. The guard began to walk away, his keys jangling with each step, mumbling about me and my "stupidly courageous act".

As soon as the guard was out of earshot, voices started to surround me.

"Oh my God, is she okay? Ally, you're bleeding." An unfamiliar female voice spouted.

"I knew that she would do something stupid like that. Didn't I tell you, Jake?" Nick's voice whined from behind me.

I was still feeling lightheaded, so I tried to sit down. But, I ended up missing the bench, landing on my butt, legs sprawled, in front of all the people who had once looked up to me for hope. Nick was right. I was bound to do something batshit crazy sooner or later, and I paid for it. The guard had just made a huge fool of me, and I didn't help the situation at all.

I pushed my hands into the dirt ground, trying to lift myself up from my embarrassing position. A hand was thrust in front of me, offering to help me up. I glanced up dismally to see Jake, a tight smile on his face.

"Let me help you," He said, grasping my wrist and pulling me to my feet. "I doubt that guard's gonna bother you anymore."

A warm hand suddenly touched the back of my head, sending a tingle down my spine. "Jake, she's bleedin', bad." Marley announced, loud enough for everyone to hear. "I think we gotta bring her to Cliff, if we want it to stop."

That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

My eyes fluttered open to find about half a dozen standing over me, their faces puzzled and impressed, most of them expressing a tense smile. We were in a dimly lit room that smelled slightly of cigar smoke. I was laying down, staring up at a wood-beam ceiling.

"I hope she'll be able to help us," An unfamiliar female voice pondered out loud, a collective murmur settling over the group.

I groaned as I tried to sit up, only causing a small panic in the group. There was a small pounding in the back of my head, but other than that, I felt fine. I couldn't recollect how I had gotten there, but something told me that Jake and Marley had something to do with it.

The room began to spin as voices swarmed around me, proving me wrong. I wasn't fine, but they didn't need to know that. I already seemed weak enough.

"You need to lay back down!" A male voice cried out, a hand on my front shoulder pushing me back to the place I was laying on. "We gotta make sure you're not bleeding anymore."

"Bullshit." I dictated under my breath. I felt fine enough to at least sit up. Without thinking too much about it, I shoved the hand off my shoulder, sitting back up. "I don't need help." I grunted, looking back at the boy who had placed his hand on my shoulder. "I feel fine. There ain't no more blood, 'kay?"

I didn't wait for a response. I swung my legs over the side of whatever I was laying on, and lightly touched the damp floor with my toes, shivering slightly. The floor was freezing, and it felt like cement underneath my calloused feet. "Holy shit," I murmured under my breath, slowly letting my feet fall all the way to the floor.

A hand landed on my shoulder again, but I just shoved it off. "I don't need help," But, the hand went back to it's perch on my shoulder. "I said," I began, but another voice cut me off, one that I had never heard before.

"You need to lay down," It growled, deep and raspy. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice."

By the tone of his voice, I could tell this wasn't going to be a discussion. I sighed, swinging my legs back up to where they were laying, putting my hands behind my head. The ceiling beams above me began to swirl, and there was a very subtle ringing that began in my ears.

"I'm glad you chose the easy way." The same raspy voice said, but with a kinder tone. "Do you remember what happened?"

I sighed, things coming back in clips. I didn't need a brain to put the pieces together. "Yeah. I went batshit crazy and told a guard off, which made him mad and he hit me in the head. Okay, okay, I remember. Can I get up now?" I was beginning to get annoyed, but that wasn't anything new.

"No," The girl's voice said out of urgency. "We need to wait until Marley and Jake are back. They might have found some extra food."

For the first time since I got there, I realized I was hungry. The last meal I had was the day before I arrived, and God knows how long I was unconscious for. As if to prove my point, my stomach began to growl angrily, begging for the food I hadn't thought about.

"How long have I been out?" I questioned quietly, unprepared for the voice that answered.

"Only a night," A firm, familiar voice replied to my question.

Nick was here! I quickly became excited, sitting up. The room immediately began to swirl once again, a figure in the middle of line of vision swirling with it. I could only guess that it was Nick, as it implied that his voice had come from the direction of the figure.

I put my hand to my head, as if that would stop the spinning. "Okay," Nick trembled, his voice increasing in volume. "I think you need to lie back down."

Instead of resisting the suggestion this time, I followed his advice. I laid back down, putting my hands behind my bed as a pillow. The ceiling stopped spinning, but I felt the familiar trickle of blood on my hands.

"Am I still bleeding?" I inquired, starting to panic. When no one answered, I asked again. "Please tell me." My voice was trembling now, because I knew that if I was still bleeding, I would need stitches, and I doubted there was going to be someplace I could get stitches.

The silence confirmed it for me. I kept my hand on my head despite the warmness. I had heard somewhere that the head tends to bleed more than any other place on the body. It could just be a small cut that refuses to quit bleeding, or it could be this huge gash that's almost done bleeding. I prayed for the small cut, but I doubted that was the case.

A warm hand touched mine, and I shuddered slightly in surprise. "It's just me," Nick purred, his voice getting low. "You're head is still bleeding a little, but we've mostly got it under control. Now, would you mind telling us your name?"

"Al-" I paused, slightly, not wanting to be referred to as the name on all my court documents. That was the old me. Now, I get a chance to start something new. A chance to be braver than I used to be. "Ally. My name, is Ally."

A chuckle escaped from Nick. "What's a matter? Ain't you sure?"

"Yeah." I didn't want to admit the truth, so I lied. It wasn't anything unusual, or out of the ordinary. "My name is Ally."

"Okay then. Ally, I want you to try and sit up for us, okay? Just, slowly." I kept my hand on my head, using the other one to lift myself up again. The dizziness was starting to fade away, but it was still there. "Good," Nick praised my small accomplish. "How does your head feel?"

"It feels fine," I sighed, silently acknowledging that I was going to be known as the girl who fainted after a guard talked smack to her. "Can I eat something?"

There was some mumbling, and the tone of their voices were disagreeing. I couldn't dictate specifically what they were saying, so it came as a little shock what their final answer was.

"Well, we don't really have any food. The weekly rations haven't been passed out yet, and we don't have any left to share." The unfamiliar girl spouted, her voice cracking, as she was obviously very upset. "I'm so sorry. I mean, you probably haven't eaten for a few days, and-and-and…"

I stopped listening, the room fading out of my line of sight as I disappeared into my thoughts. They gave them food once a week? He's basically starving them! Well, I didn't know how much food they got, but I doubted it was enough since they didn't have any left. That was awful. I've had to do it before, but it was nothing I ever wanted to do again.

During those two weeks that I didn't have any food, my stomach had felt completely hollow, and when I finally could afford to buy something at the convenient store, I had to eat slowly, or I was going to get sick. The only thing I could even afford was two cheeseburgers, and a small box of chicken nuggets from a gas station. It was awful, having to ration that small amount of food, trying not to think about how long I would have to make it last for.

The emptiness of my stomach drove me out of my thinking. It growled angrily, desperate for food. I couldn't even remember the last time I ate. It seemed as though the last time I ate was when that really kind officer at the precinct gave me half of his Subway sandwich.

"That's awful," I absently said out loud. "He can't do that." I became increasingly angry as I spoke, realizing how wrong it was that he was doing this. In fact, he couldn't do any of this. He couldn't starve us, or beat us. It was neglect and abuse. "We need to do something." I thoughtfully acknowledged, staring at the ceiling. There had to be something that we could do about Scovel, and all the other adults here. It just didn't feel right.

"You've done enough. Now, stay still while Ethan changes the bandage on your head." Nick asked, politely. "It's gonna hurt, a lot, so don't fight, okay?" He didn't sugarcoat it for me.

"Okay," I reluctantly agreed, knowing that there was going to be no possible way I was going be able to sit still enough to let, what was his name? Ethan? To let Ethan fix my head.

I set my hands on my legs, already rubbing the nervous sweat off my palms. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, preparing for the pain.

Suddenly, a large, calloused hand was placed on mine. I opened my eyes to find Nick sitting next to me on whatever I was laying on, a genuine smile crossing both of our faces. A warm feeling began to glow inside my chest and stomach.

Something pricked the back of my head, sending waves of pain through the back of my neck. I took Nick's hand in mine, and squeezed it, hard. I closed my eyes, and let out a small squeal. _It'll be over in a few seconds. Just hang in there._ I kept reminding myself that it was going to be over in a few minutes, but those minutes felt as though they were hours.

Another prick followed, and this time, I whipped my head around. A boy about two years older than me was standing there, his face a blank stare at me. I took in his features, as long as I was turned around.

His eyes were a piercing green and blue combination, which was intimidating to say the least. He had light freckles dotting his nose, and his lips were a light magenta. His hair was like mahogany, and tousled, as if to suggest that he hadn't taken a shower in a few days, maybe even a week. He had a chiseled chin, and strong cheekbones that accented his dimples.

We locked eyes for a few seconds, before I swiveled my head to look at Nick. _Who is he?_ I silently asked, moving my eyes toward the guy who had been pricking my head.

"That's Ethan. He's like the doctor here. He grew up in a hospital, so we hope he knows what he's doing." Nick explained, chuckling at his joke, before turning back to his serious tone. "You need to turn back around, and stay still so he can finish."

I turned my head back to Ethan, and the sight made me sad. His eyes were devoid of emotion, as was his face. I gave him a small nod, as if to show him my approval. If he really needed to finish, then I should let him. After all, he was just trying to help.

I turned back around, wanting to give him a chance to help me. Another prick to my head followed my obedient actions, making me close my eyes again. I continued to squeeze Nick's hand, until the point where I felt as though I was going to hurt his hand. "Sorry." I muttered under my breath.

The pricking sensation seized, giving me a feeling of relief. "Is it over?" I asked, excitedly. _Please let it be over._

Before anyone could answer, my hand released it's grasp on Nick's, and lightly touched the back of my head. I couldn't feel anything except for my hair, which was tied into a bun. I pressed slightly harder, and winced when a small amount of pain washed through my entire head.

"What did you do?" I asked Ethan tenderly, curious as to why it didn't hurt as much as when he first began to touch it. "Like, what did you put on it to make it stop hurting?"

He walked around so we could stand face to face. The same blank stare was frozen on his face, abstain from all of his possible emotions or facial expressions. "It was nothing, really. I had given you some pain killers while you were knocked out, and then I stitched up the cut, and gave you fluids. Nothing too much."

"Thank you." I said gently, reaching my hand out so he could shake it. If he hadn't helped, I don't know what would have happened, but then again, I didn't know or understand how bad my injuries were. The only place of pain was in the back of my head.

He grasped my hand firmly, and a small smile showed up on his face, giving me a little satisfaction. Scovel hadn't taken _all_ the joy out of Ethan's life.


	4. Chapter 4

Soon after that, Nick and Ethan decided it would be best if I went back to my own cabin, which I hadn't even seen yet.

Nick led me out of the smoky cabin, explaining to me that everyone had to share a cabin with five others of the same gender.

"It's a little crowded, mostly because there's only one bathroom for every three cabins, but if you use a system, it works." We continued to walk towards the cluster of cabins, his voice getting softer and softer as we narrowed towards a light oak wood cabin. It smelled of cigar smoke, the same smell that had lingered in Ethan's cabin. "I think you're roommates with Marley, but I'm not sure. She'll be good to have around. Scovel doesn't like to pick on her as much as," He coughed, indicating that he was talking about me. "Others."

I laughed, wincing as a small pain shot through my head. Luckily, he didn't notice, or else I would've had to lie to him again. I hated lying to him. It was like I was trying to convince someone that the sky was actually red instead of blue. It was almost of no use.

Waltzing up a dirt walkway to the cabin, Nick quickly put his hand on my shoulder as an act of comfort. I lifted my hand to touch his, and was shocked by how warm it was. It was like setting my hand on a box of fresh chicken nuggets from McDonald's, which was the best feeling in the whole world to me.

Nick used his other hand to point to the far end of the small neighborhood, where a larger cabin was standing. Two doors stood in the middle of it, both with illegible writing on them.

"Those are the showers, and they signs tell you which one is for guys and girls. They're the only showers in the entire place, and we only get three minutes to shower once every week. Use your time wisely."

Well, that sucks. One, three minute shower once a week? That's not even sanitary. I guess I'm the last person to talk about sanitary, but still.

He led me into the cabin, the cabin door squeaking noisily as he opened it. Inside was devastating. The walls were stripped of wallpaper, and there were three sets of bunk beds strewn across the small, one roomed cabin. Two garbage bags were placed next to two out of the three bedsets, only one bag standing by the third bed.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to ensconce, okay?" Nick said, turning around to leave. His hand lifted above mine, and left my shoulder. "I'll come back in about five minutes."

He walked out the door, leaving me alone in the cabin.

I started to look around, trying to figure out what was mine. There was only one bed that didn't have a garbage bag, and it was the top bunk of the third set. Guess that one was mine. There was a small door on the opposite side of the cabin, my guessing that it was the door to the bathroom. The bathroom that I was to share with five other girls.


	5. Chapter 5

I sat on the bottom bunk of our bunkbed, my head in my hands as tears silently spilled on my palms. I regretted everything I had done since I got to this awful place. Stealing the guard's wallet, fighting back against Devlin, talking shit to that guard in the courtyard, everything. He had humiliated me in front of everybody in the whole damn place. Every decision was worse than the one before, and I wasn't helping. Every decision, every minute that I had been here, was wasted on something I was just going to regret later on.. Thanks to my actions, everyone was going to be watching me, never giving me the chance to leave. Well, a better word to use might be _escape_.

As I was wallowing in my own stupidity, a knock came on the cabin door. Frantic, I wiped the tears from my face and wiped my hands on my sweatshirt, which was now so dirty that I basically ended up making mud. I hadn't taken a shower since I left the police station. As I thought about it, I realized that it was about half a week ago.

"Come in," I called, trying to hide the tremble in my voice. I couldn't let anyone see my weaknesses. They were already starting to peek through the tough hide I used to conceal my emotions.

The door opened slowly, a friendly voice echoing through the doorway. "Hey, Ally." I immediately gave a small smile as I recognized who it was.

A small gust of wind blew through the door, making me shiver as a few leaves slowly danced through the air onto the ground in front of me.

"You know, Nick, it would be nice if you came at more convenient times," I complained, moving over on the bed. The door opened wider so I could see his entire body. I hadn't realized how tall he was, and it made me feel small and helpless, just like everything else in the damn place.

I patted the empty spot next to me, inviting him to sit down. Although I doubted that he could see me through the door, I could tell that he had heard the small sound of the mattress and my hand colliding.

He walked towards me, his dark brown hiking boots creating heavy footsteps on the wood surface. He spoke as he took a seat next to me. "What's wrong? This isn't like you. You're normally bouncing around, waiting for someone else to piss off." He chuckled softly at that last sentence, but I could tell by his tone of voice that he was genuinely concerned.

I sighed, clapping my hands in between my knees. Where could I begin? "You were right," I spat, my voice full of shame. I surprised myself at my outburst. Another stupid decision I made on a whim. Now, I had to roll with it. "You were right about everything. I can't do it. I can't help you guys escape. I don't even know if _I_ can get outta here. Just…" I paused my self-pity rant to think of something else to say, but I couldn't. "I'm just going to die here like everyone else. You were right."

My mind flashed back to the first day I was there, when I had heard the comments people were making about me. Their assumptions. Their hopes. Their criticisms. It all seemed like a distant memory, fading as quick as my optimism.

This time, Nick couldn't control himself, a husky laugh escaping him. _What?_ I thought, puzzled by his reaction. He was supposed to stand up, in all his pride, and shout, "I told you so!" like every other guy.

I became a little angry that he thought my feelings were funny, instead of acting as though they were real and serious. "Why are you laughing? Is there something funny?"

He reeled back, apologetically. "Well, it's just that I came here to tell you that _I_ was wrong."

That surprised me. I wouldn't have seen him as the kind of guy who admits that he's wrong. He seemed like the kind of guy who would keep insisting that he was right until there was someone else he could blame.

"Oh," I exhaled, relieved that he wasn't just laughing at me. It seemed like a lot of people were doing that lately. .

"Yeah," He jested, a little relieved that I wasn't angry anymore. Hey, I would be, too. "I'm beginning to think that you _are_ the key to getting out of here. Jake and Marley agree, so I just thought you should know what we've been saying about you."

Now, it was my turn to laugh. I guffawed loudly, my hand flying up to cover my mouth. "I'm sorry," I apologized, but I didn't come off as very sorry. "It's just that, I don't even know why I haven't tried to escape yet. I'm a huge target for their abuse, and it just doesn't make sense."

I thought back to the moment I charged Devlin, the fear in his eyes. There was a little weakness, but not enough to break them. Scovel was twice as strong, mentally, picking up for Devlin's and the other's slack.

"I _do_ think that you're the key to getting everyone outta here. But, I wouldn't be happy without you here, and I think you know it."

He shifted his weight closer to me, allowing me to feel as though he was trying, and succeeding, to flirt. My palms became sweaty, as I didn't know what to do. I had never kissed anyone before.

He closed his eyes delicately and leaned inwards slowly. Things began to feel more natural, my entire thought process enshrouded with emotions. Emotions I had never felt before.

Everything began to roll in slow motion, like out of a movie. Upbeat, yet intense, music was playing in the back of my head, making the moment even more unrealistic. Everything around me seemed to be turning black and white as it faded into the background of my perfect movie moment.

My stomach began to churn as my face turned bright red. I felt like there were a million butterflies in there, struggling to get free, and it made me feel inexplicably warm. I began to lean closer to him, letting my eyelids flutter to a close. Suddenly, my lips pressed lightly against his, and all the butterflies were released. His hand went under my ponytail, cradling my head.

Time seemed to stop. All sounds and sights seized, and it was just me and Nick, in our own little world.

I reeled back abruptly, exasperated and frightened. _This isn't right,_ I thought, my eyes wandering around the room. _It's not gonna last. There's no way._

The look on Nick's face broke my heart, as I had just broken his. He looked as though someone had just punched him in the gut, and there was nothing he could do about it.

I had to give some explanation. I loved him, I really did. But, in every relationship I had had or witnessed, anything and everything was going to happen, and I knew this one wasn't going to be any different.

"Nick, I can't." I professed, feeling awful in every way possible. "I really want to, but I can't. Something's gonna happen to either of us, and-and-and…" I couldn't finish. I was so upset with myself, dooming everyone around me.

Surprisingly, Nick seemed to understand that I was scared. His eyebrows were raised to show that he was curious, and accepting at the same time. "It's okay," He whispered, wrapping his warm arms around my neck. "You don't have to be scared." He pulled my upper body towards him, so my cheek was resting on his chest.

I sighed intently, feeling true comfort for the first time. The butterfly feeling in my stomach returned, and this time, I didn't want it to go away.

"I love you, Ally." He whispered into my hair, before letting his hand caress my back. "I'll always love you, no matter what happens."

He planted a flutter of a kiss on my forehead before taking his hand off my back. "The food rations are being handed out. You need to come to get yours. I bet you're hungry."

I lifted myself off of him so he could stand up. It was too soon to let him leave. "Don't go?" I whispered, letting my hand fall against the mattress. I wanted him to stay, so we wouldn't have to go outside, where everything was just waiting for us.

I glanced up pitifully, and the warm feeling glowed brighter. He was looking at me, a cute smile on his face. His teeth were perfectly white, making his lips seem an even darker pink against them. His hair was still a mess, and in the bright morning sunlight that flowed through the open the door, he looked more handsome than I had ever seen him.

"I guess I'm asking you to trust me," He grinned, inching his hand closer to mine. "Do you trust me?" I slipped my hand into his, and he squeezed it, lovingly. I was handing over everything to him, because I trusted him. At least, I wanted to trust him. "Good, now let's go get something to eat, okay?"

"Okay." I whispered, giving him a small smile. Going into the courtyard was a bad idea, and I knew it. Nick knew it. But, it was something that we were going to have to deal with if we wanted to eat. In order to survive, we had to eat. We just had to avoid the snake of the operation.

I stood up, my insides feeling as though they might burst. The butterflies were trying to push their way to freedom. _You can do this,_ I told myself repeatedly. _There's nothing to be afraid of._

Who was I kidding? There was everything to be afraid of. The question was, what wasn't there to be afraid of?


	6. Chapter 6

We slowly waltzed out of the cabin holding hands discreetly behind our backs. I stared at the dirt road ahead of us, praying that we would both be okay after the encounter with Scovel to claim our food. I wasn't even sure how the system worked, and I doubted there was going to be anyone willing to help me.

The closer we got to the courtyard, my heart began to beat faster and harder with every passing second. I glance up at the sky and think of God. _Dear Lord, I know that I haven't talked to you a whole lot in the past_. _But, I really need your help. Please keep me safe through whatever happens next. Please. Amen._ I didn't really know what the word "amen" meant, but it was something religious people said after praying, so I thought I would give it a try.

When we reached the end of the gravel and dirt road, I felt my heart stop in it's tracks. In an orderly single line, was every single person in this horrible prison, all of them waiting anxiously for their food. At the other end of the line, opposite of where we were standing, was a small stand, kind of like the one you see when a little kid tries to sell something to buy a bike, or a doll, or whatever they want, so it was kind of like a lemonade stand. A woman I had never seen before was standing there, a grimace on her face as she handed the next person in line a singular shopping bag, filled to the brim with staples that looked as though they would last for the next week.. Unless they lasted even less, as Erica had explained. She didn't even have any food to give me that day in Ethan's cabin.

We filtered into the line without any particular attention drawn to us. _Thank you, God._ I didn't need to deal with Scovel's many abuses. I was already worried about salvaging a possible relationship with Nick. What would we do if we got out? How would we be able to keep it hidden in such a small confined place, filled with people? I had so many questions and absolutely no possible answers.

"So," A familiar, bone-chilling voice snarled behind me. "The infamous Ally showed up to live another day." As he continued to speak, his voice grew closer and closer to me and Nick. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. I couldn't afford to blow my temper now. I finally had something, _someone_ to live for now. Someone that I wasn't willing to lose.

I felt his hot breath on the back of my neck, my eyes shooting open in surprise. "Well, what's this?" A cold, bony hand grabbed my wrist, separating my hand from Nick's. "Awww, are you guys dating?"

Once again, every head in the courtyard turned to face my direction. My face burned bright red, the butterflies dispersing in anger. I gritted my teeth, and curled my other hand into a fist. _Just keep your cool, Alex. That's all you have to do._

His hand found his way to my lower jaw, and grasped it, hard, in his tiny hand. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, you piece of shit." He snapped my neck in his direction, bringing my entire body with it. A small pain shot up my spine, causing me to flinch. But, he was too concerned with something else to notice my reflection of pain.

"Knock it off, Scovel." Nick growled, stepping in front of me protectively. He really did care about me, and wanted to stay with me, no matter what happened. Just like he promised. I never met a guy who was true to his word.

"Jesus Christ, you really do have a relationship with him." He was surprised that someone could find a little ray of happiness in his little Horrors of Hell simulation. His laugh sounded like it was coming out of a hyena, making Nick angry.

I saw his eyebrows furrow, and his eyes grow dark in a rage I had never seen from him before. He ultimately frowned, quickly grasping my hand from Scovel's. My wrist burned from the force of his hand, but I didn't say anything. I had already dealt with my share of emotional men. I didn't need to add another to the list.


	7. Chapter 7

"You," Scovel was so angry, that he couldn't even finish what he was going to say. He grabbed my wrist and tore it away from Nick's with such force, I could feel his fingernails into my skin. I winced, afraid of what he was going to do.

I looked to Nick, his red face softening when we made eye contact. He knew that Scovel was bound to do something as much as I did.

The hand suddenly struck my face in such a familiar way, I should have been used to it. In fact, I decided to take it without a fight, remembering how that had ended last time. Instead of letting my temper get a hold of me, I took the blow silently, my eyes tearing up as my face turned red from the pain.

"Hey, what the hell man?" Nick snapped, moving towards him. But, Scovel stood his ground. He didn't move, both of them becoming face to face. "Why the hell do you do this?"

I began to back away from the scene, going about a yard per second. Nick wasn't thinking. If he was, he wouldn't be doing this. He wouldn't be standing up to Scovel. Only bat-shit, crazy ass people did that. People like me.

Silently, I begged him to move with me, but the words wouldn't come out my mouth. _Please don't do this, Nick._ I thought, tears beginning to well up in my eyes as I realized that Nick was standing up for me. _Please don't let him get the best of you. I was lucky he didn't kill me. You might not be so lucky._

When I was about fifty painful yards away, Scovel stared into Nick's eyes, gritting his teeth as he smiled his intimidating smile. "Because you brats need to learn your place." He took one hand and shoved it against Nick's chest, barely making him flinch.

Nick placed both hands on Scovel's shoulders, and pushed him to the ground. A small scream escaped me, making Nick turn in my direction. He turned away from the worst person I had ever met, all because he was worried about me. His eyes were wide, as though maybe he was in pain. But, I knew the truth: He was scared.

Right in front of my unwilling eyes, Scovel picked himself up and unclipped a silver hand pistol from the gun-holder attached to his belt. _Oh My God,_ I thought. _Dear God, don't let him shoot him. Don't let that happen._

He pulled it back, as if he was going to hit Nick. I gasped in horror, as I realized that was what he was going to do. I didn't even have time to warn him. _I'm so sorry._

The pistol struck Nick's face so harshly, it left a deep, angry cut on his forehead. His eyes rolled back quickly, his eyelids closing even quicker. He fell to the ground, unconscious, the wound on his forehead bleeding profusely. His body hit the ground with a sickening, gut-wrenching thud, my heart leaping into my throat.

I could barely stand, let alone run, my legs feeling as if they were full of lead. "Nick?" I called, quietly at first. He didn't answer, barely even moving. But, the longer he didn't respond, the more panicked I became. "Nick! Nick!" I stretched his name into two syllables as I yelled, lunging towards him.

But, I wasn't quick enough. My eyes grew wide as I watched Fletcher and Devlin walking towards Nick's body. "No!" I screeched, trying to hurry up and get to him. "Don't touch him!" But, the only reaction I got from my protesting was a small grimace from Fletcher as they bent down and hooked their arms underneath Nick's. "Leave him alone! No! Please!" I was only a few yards from him now. I was so close.

Someone suddenly grabbed my waist and held it tightly, but I didn't care. I needed to get to him. I needed him to be okay. I wasn't going to settle for anything less. I couldn't let them take him away! He meant so much to me.

Fletcher and Devlin lifted Nick's torso off of the ground, using only the underneath of his arms. His waist and legs were being dragged across the ground as they lugged him away. A cloud of dirt flew into the air as his legs made a path. They couldn't take him away. They couldn't do that! They can't!

"Nick!" I continued to scream at the top of lungs, a crowd beginning to gather at the scene. "Nick, look at me!" I was desperate for any sign. Anything at all.

His head was hung forward, and his body was limp. I could see little movements of breathing, but that was it. There was nothing else.

The person who was holding onto my waist was stronger than me, but I couldn't let that stop me. I pulled with all my might, dragging them along.

"No!" I protested their restrainment, listening to them groan as they continued to attempt to hold me back. "No! I need him!" Sobs were beginning to erupt from deep in my throat. "Nick! No! Please!"

Tears were spilling over my cheeks, my face as red as a rose. "Ethan!" The person who was grabbing my waist called out into the crowd. "Ethan, I need some help!"

I heard some voices begin to arise. It was like the soft whisper of a babbling brook. You could barely hear it, but you knew it was there.

I continued to cry out for Nick, my screeching becoming almost irrational. "Nick! I need you! Please! Wake up! I need you to stay alive!" Two pairs of hands grabbed my waist, and started to pull me away from the scene. I tried to pull harder, but it was no use. "No! No! That's my best friend! " I cried louder than before.

Ethan's voice broke through to me, slowly fading into my ears. "Ally, stop." He said, urgency flowing through his baritone voice. "Ally, if you don't stop, he'll kill you."

I glared at him like he was crazy. Nick was my best friend. I couldn't let Scovel do this to him. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

"Nick! Nick! No, no!" My throat was getting raw, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. My voice was slowly fading, getting softer and softer with each word. "Nick, I need you to wake up. I'm so sorry." I turned away in heartache, my insides feeling as though they were being ripped out. "I'm so sorry."

My lips were trembling, as were my hands. "I'm so sorry." Was all I could say to him. By loving him, I had put him in the way of Scovel's sniper of harm. "Nick." I cried out feebly, one last time.

I thought back to the moment, only fifteen minutes before. His hand cradling my head in such a loving way, his lips pressing gently against mine. All those emotions, all those actions felt like a distant memory. Something that had happened years, maybe even decades ago.

Reality hit me like a ton of bricks, my eyes growing wide in fear. I couldn't be here. "I can't do this," I suddenly whispered, all of my strength against Ethan and the other person disappearing. "Nick, I love you." I said, only slightly louder than before. "I need to get out of here."

I shoved their hands off of my waist, both of them releasing almost immediately. I don't think they expected me to give up so easily. I didn't expect myself to give up so easily, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't watch him get beaten, while everyone stood by helplessly.

Not caring about who was watching, I started to leave, almost tripping over myself as my tangled feet felt as though they were hovering over the ground. "I'm so sorry." I apologized to everyone who was watching. I had tried to be strong for them, but this was the last straw.


	8. Chapter 8

Once I reached the outside layer of people, I turned around to face the cabins, their warmth and comfort inviting me inside. I ignored their invitation, and started to run towards the far side of the place, where there were some less populated cabins.

I began to sprint towards there, allowing the wind to dry my tears as I tried to process what had happened. _He has to stay alive. Just because he's unconscious, doesn't mean he's dead. He's going to be fine._ I lied to myself, trying to stay optimistic, but it was no use. Scovel had ahold of him. Nobody would know if he had given some mercy, or if he had continued to spread his hatred in despicable ways.

My eyes desperately wandered over the small area, hoping to spot some kind of isolation from my surroundings. My eyes finally landed on one of the bathrooms, the only one with showers.

I ran up the dirt walkway, and flung the door open to find two girls already in there, both of them blabbering about their latest crush.

"He's so cute!" One of them, a brunette, gushed, fluffing her hair in the mirror. "But, he's already taken, isn't he?" Even in a place of hatred, these girls continued to find a spot of peace where they could talk about things like crushes. Lucky them.

The other girl, with jet-black, greasy hair, had noticed me, and pointed it out to her friend. "Ummm…. Paisley, maybe we should leave." She nodded towards me, making quick eye contact before turning back to her friend.

I must have looked awful. I was slightly out of breath from sprinting, I still had uncontrollable tears flowing down my face, and my face was probably red from screaming. "Please," I began talking to them nicely. "Just get out."

The brunette, I guess her name was Paisley, looked at me as if I was stupid. "You can't tell me what to do." She spouted in her annoyingly perky, high pitched voice. "You're not in charge."

I got angry. How could I help it? "Get out." I growled, clenching and unclenching both my jaw and fists. I was not in the mood to deal with this shit. I had tried to be nice and they threw my niceness out the window. When they refused to move, I lost my cool. "Get the hell out!" I snapped, my voice cracking as the rawness in my throat hadn't gone away yet. "Get out!"

They left in a hurry after that, both pissed off. I could hear their belittling conversation, but I was too occupied with my thoughts about Nick to actually care about their opinion.

As soon as they were out of the room and the door slammed shut behind them, I hurried to the mirror, and sagged as I realized that I did look like a wild person. I had tons of loose hairs around my ponytail, and there was this wild glaze in my eyes, as though I had just witnessed something catastrophic. I had. My cheeks were bright red, and there was a sheen of sweat that covered my forehead. Streaks from my tears were also evident, just making me become more emotional.

"I can't take it anymore!" I screamed, banging my closed fist on the bathroom door. It wasn't fair. We were all just kids, with our whole lives ahead of us. Instead of living them, and having fun, we were rotting away in this hell. It just wasn't fair. "I need to leave. I need to get out of here." I realized that my voice was shaking with anxiety. I whipped my body around and stared at the wall in front of me, trying to come up with a way to escape, but nothing came to mind.

A sudden knock came on the door, startling me. "Ally, are you okay?" Jake's voice looked through the door. "I heard a scream." The doorknob began to jiggle, coming loose almost immediately. He waltzed in to see me standing next to the door, tears continuously streaming down my face.

He walked towards me slowly, as if he didn't know how I was going to react. His face was red, and I could see his throat tightening, as if there was a lump in it. But, then he raised his arms, opening them as if to embrace me. I ran into them, sobbing. With each sob, my chest heaved painfully, but I couldn't stop.

"Shhhh…." Jake tried to comfort me, but it wasn't working, as he was trying to hold back tears of his own. Nick was his best friend, too. "It's gonna be okay." His voice was quivering with emotion. "We're gonna be okay. I promise."


End file.
